It feels a little gauche but I figure everyone's life is online these days and I find compiling lists very satisfying, so here are some about me.
Travel
Like most people I love to travel. I have been fortunate enough to visit some really amazing places. If you are keen on seeing some of my photos, I keep an instagram and a tumblr which showcase several of my more successful attempts at photography, as well as some art, music, and other things that I enjoy.
I like geography. I thought I was pretty knowledgable until I took this humbling geography quiz
Here is a map showing the countries and states that I have gotten to visit. Hopefully someday these maps will be a lot more filled in!
Here is a map showing the countries and states that I have gotten to visit. Hopefully someday these maps will be a lot more filled in!
Biking
I mountain bike as often as I can. Biking is my primary form of transportation as well as my main form of cardio exercise (which i consider to be essential for well being and health). It is also my favorite way to explore the amazing nature of the southwest. I ride a Trek CrossRip cycle cross bike every single day to get to work and get around town.
My favorite possession is my 2015 Kona Process 153 with chris king hubs. I usually run tubeless 2.5 Maxxis Minion DHFs on the front and 2.4 Maxxis Ardents on the back so I don't run through tread too fast on the chunky Arizona terrain. This bike is epic. It can handle anything I can and then some. Its got a low and long geometry with a HT angle of 66.5˚ that makes it super stable on downhill but still pedals pretty nicely. My favorite places to ride are Highline trail in Sedona (AZ), Fantasy Island Single Track (FINS) in Phoenix (AZ), and Camp Tamarancho in Fairfax (CA), but there are amazing rides all over. Since I started grad school in Arizona, I have been slowly but surely going through Cosmic Ray's Arizona Mountain Bike Trail Guide trying to hit every ride.
UPDATE 11/29/2022: RIP to my Kona. I now ride a Stumpjumper evo expert with Magura MT7 breaks and a few other sexy little doodads and modifications. Have relocated to the Bay Area and ride locally as often as I can.
My favorite possession is my 2015 Kona Process 153 with chris king hubs. I usually run tubeless 2.5 Maxxis Minion DHFs on the front and 2.4 Maxxis Ardents on the back so I don't run through tread too fast on the chunky Arizona terrain. This bike is epic. It can handle anything I can and then some. Its got a low and long geometry with a HT angle of 66.5˚ that makes it super stable on downhill but still pedals pretty nicely. My favorite places to ride are Highline trail in Sedona (AZ), Fantasy Island Single Track (FINS) in Phoenix (AZ), and Camp Tamarancho in Fairfax (CA), but there are amazing rides all over. Since I started grad school in Arizona, I have been slowly but surely going through Cosmic Ray's Arizona Mountain Bike Trail Guide trying to hit every ride.
UPDATE 11/29/2022: RIP to my Kona. I now ride a Stumpjumper evo expert with Magura MT7 breaks and a few other sexy little doodads and modifications. Have relocated to the Bay Area and ride locally as often as I can.
360 video of some sweet Sonoran desert trailsThis video was one of the first I ever shot with my GoPro Fusion. I think 360 video is really cool, especially when viewed with a VR headset, but it also is a pretty new and unpolished media format so view at your own risk!
|
|
Books - Just a few that I keep going back to
- Waking up by Sam Harris does a great job of introducing meditation as a life habit. I get bored with his talk about religion quickly but his meditation app is the best that I have found, and his podcast can be insightful too!
- Hyperion cantos by Dan Simmons is one of the most imaginative and far out sci fi books I have read in a while. I judge books like this by how long I keep thinking about it after I am done reading it. This one stuck with me for a long time. Highly recommended.
- Neuromancer by William Gibson defined the term cyber punk. I really love the aesthetic and this book a lot. A classic everyone who likes sci-fi should check out.
- Brave new world by Aludous Huxley is a masterpiece and another classic. Huxley must have been one of the coolest people to have ever lived.
Poetry - Wildly under appreciated
Short and sweet poems that I think anyone can appreciate
Recipes I love |
Cocktails I love |
|
|
DIY/maker projects - WIP...
Photography
I love photography. Often the camera I have on hand during my adventures is a cell phone camera, but the results can still be stunning even when they are imperfect. I look forward to getting deeper into photo and video editing once I finish my PhD.
When I remember it, I use my Nikon D3400 and a NIKKOR 50mm prime lens. I recently started shooting in RAW and want to keep going down the rabbit hole of Lightroom and photoshop skills.
When I remember it, I use my Nikon D3400 and a NIKKOR 50mm prime lens. I recently started shooting in RAW and want to keep going down the rabbit hole of Lightroom and photoshop skills.
Sailing
I am currently a member at Modern Sailing in Sausalito and working towards taking ASA104. f
Gardening & plants
Music
WIP